Electrically-operated switch and the like



Oct. 16,1923.

L. H. WADSWORTH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SWITCH AND THE LIKE Filed June 30,1922 Patented Oct. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT oF lcE.

LAWRENCE HERBERT \VADSWORTH, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRICALLY-OPER ATED SWITCH AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 30, 1922. Serial No. 571,992.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE HERBERT WADswon'rrr, a subject of the Kingof Great 7 Britain, residing at 7 Revelstoke Road, Wimbledon Park,London, England, have invented Im rovements in and Relating toElectricallyperated Switches and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to electrically operated intermittent switches ormake and break devices for electrical circuits to be used as controls orrelays, for use in connection with the striking or chiming mechanism ofelectric and other clocks, for ringin electric bells or sounding alarmsfor signa lling purposes, for flash signs and for other purposesrequiring an intermittent and uniform making and breaking of one or moreelectrical circuits, it has for its primary objects in switches of thistype ob taining an instant or impulse contact with quick make and breakof the circuit or circuits, adjustability of the rate as well astheduration of the'make and break, small cur 25 rent consumption andcapability of use in series or parallel with any suitable electricapparatus and continuing to act automatically while electric potentialis maintained.

The present invention comprises essen tially an electromagnet orsolenoid. a rock ing armature, an adjustably spring coutrolled arm.carried by said'armature which is operated by said magnet or solenoid oncompletingan electrical circuit in which the magnet or solenoid isincluded, a trans versely arranged, spring controlled sliding switch baradapted to make contact with a contact included-in the magnet orsolenoid circuit and in some cases carrying or opera tively connectedwith one or more contacts adapted to make contact with other contactsincluded in one or more electrical circuits which are to be controlled,a single acting dash pot or other suitable mechanism operativelyconnected to the armature and capable of adjustment whereby the speed ofthe return movement of the armature under the influence of its springmay be controlled,

mechanism for locking the switch bar in either of the two extremepositions it can assume, comprising a pair of spring controlled bellcrank levers pivoted on either side of the armature arm, the one arm ofeach lever carrying a pin adapted to engage one of a pair of adjustablecollars or cams carried on the switch bar and the other arm of the leverengagin one of a pair of adjustable collars mounte on either side of arod pivoted at its centre to the armature arm the whole arrangementbeing such that the armature, be ing attracted against its spring, firstcompresses or extends the spring or one of the springs on the switch barwithout moving the latter owing to its movement being prevented by thelocking mechanism, at or about the end 01"" the movemnt of the armature,the locking mechanism is liberated allowing the switch bar to suddenlymove under the influence of the compressed spring, and soinstantaneouslymake or break the circuit or circuits controlled bysaidbar, on the return movement of the armature under the influence of itsspringits speed being controlled by the dash pot or other mechanismthespring, or other spring if two be used on-the switch bar is first.compressed or extended without moving the switch bar, and at or aboutthe end of its movement, the locking mechanism is operated allowing theswitch bar to again suddenly move in a reverse direction and soinstantaneously break or make the circuit or circuits controlled by saidswitch bar and continuing so to do as long as the potentialis maintainedin the magnet or solenoid circuit. I

A convenient construction of apparatus embodying the present inventionis that illustrated on the accompanying drawing in which the figure isaiview in plan of the apparatus. Upon asuitable base plate is mounted anelectromagnet a, the armature b of which is carried by the one arm o ofa bell crank lever. r v p i v I This lever is capable of rocking on apivot b and its movement is controlled by an adjustable spring 0 actingthrough anarm b carried on the other :arm 6 of the lever. Adjustablestops a a arelprovided to limit the movementof the armature arm I). -Insuitable bearings (Z carried by the base plate a is free toslide--preferably without rotation a transversely arranged switch bar 6,

stops 6 engaging th outer faces of the bearings (Z and in one of the twopositions of rest it can assume engages, by one of its ends, with aspring contact g adapted to contact with a contact 9 the said contactsg, 9 being in circuit with the eleetro-magnet (6 and any suitable sourceof electrical energy.

The locking mechanism for the switch bar 6 comprises a pair of springcontrolled bell crank levers it pivoted to the base plate .r on eitherside of the arm 5*, the one arm of each lever it carries an upstandingknife edged pin 71 adapted to engage one of a pair of collars or cams kadjustably carried on the svitch bar 6 and the other arm of the lever 7ais engaged by one of a pair of adjust able collars Z carried on a rod mpassing freely throu h said arms. This rod 171 is pivotally carried bythe arm 19*. On the lower part of the base plate a is fixed a singleacting air dash pot or having means for regulating theescape of air frombehind the piston thereof. The piston rod a of this dash pot isconnected to the free end of the armature arm I). The free end of therod n is free to sli 1c in a bearing n on the base plate and its travelis limited by an adjustable stop if. The rod 12 carries a spring contactpiece 0 which can make contactwith an adjustable contact 1). Thesecontacts are included in an external electrical circuit which it isdesired to control. In some cases the rod n may directly operate anydesired operating mechanism. The arrangement of the various parts issuch that movement of the armature Z) together with its lever in onedirection first slightly flexes the spring f then one of the collars Zon the rod 77l-Op61tttl by the arm ?icontacts with the one arm of one ofthe bell crank levers 7L causing it to move angularly and tree the pin aon its other arm from engagement with the collar or cam is on the switchbar 6 thus allowing the latter to suddenly move under the influence ofthe spring 7' and so instantaneously make or break the internal circuitin which the contacts 9, g are included as well as making or breakingthe external circuit in which the contacts 0 and p are included, thereturn movement of the armature with its lever under the influence ofits spring 0 and controlled by the dash pot n will then operate in likemanner the movement of the switch bar 8 in an opposite direction.

I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.An electrically operated switch, com prising an elcctronnagnet, arocking armature, an adjustably spring controlled arm arried by saidarmature, a transversely arranged spring controlled sliding switch bar,acont-act carried thereon, a fixed contact adapted to be engaged by theswitch bar contact, electrical connections for said contacts and themagnet to couple them up to a source of electrical energy. a singleacting air dash ot having means for regulating the escape of airtherefrom and connected to the free end of the armature arm, and lockingmechanism for the sliding switch bar comprising a pair of springcontrolled bell crank levers pivoted on either side of the armaturearm,the one arm of each lever carrying a pin adapted to engage one of a pairof adjustable collars or cams carried on the switch bar and the otherarm of the lever engaging one of a pair of adjustable collars mounted oneither side of a rod pivoted at its center to the armature arm, as setforth.

2. An electrically operated switch, comprising an. electro inagnet, arocking armature, an adjustably spring controlled arm carried by saidarmature, a transversely arranged spring controlled sliding switch bar,a contact carried thereon, a fixed contact adapted to be engaged by theswitch bar contact, electrical connections for said con tacts and themagnet to couple them up to a source of electrical energy, a singleacting air dash pot having means for regulating the escape of airtherefrom and connected to the free end of the armature arm, lockingmechanism for the sliding switch bar comprising a pair of springcontrolled bell eranklevers pivoted on either side of the armature arm.the one arm of each lever carrying a pin adapted to engage one of a pairof adjustable collars or cams carried on the switch bar and the otherarm of the lever engaging one of a pair of adjustable collars mounted oneither side of a rod pivoted at its center to the armature arm, and oneor more additional contacts carried by one of the moving parts adaptedto make contact with one or more fixed contacts so as to make and breakone or more external circuits coupled up to said contacts, as Set forth.

LAWRENCE HERBERT WADSWORTH.

